LPR setup help

[wittaj]

Hopefully that work. Those are tough angles. Mine work more because of the distance I have that "flattens" the angle.

Cam 3 will need to be zoomed in a lot more (or may need a different camera). You may get away with some digital zoom in the day, but nighttime will be tough.

 

[Timokreon]

That Cam 3 shot is a picture with my current cam, a regular 2.8mm cam for wide overview. I did zoom in digitally just to show what the angle would be. That truck is approximately 90 feet away. The stop sign is approximately 100 feet.
Going to the left with Cam 3 would be about 90 feet as well.

I'm most likely going to replace that 2.8 Cam 3 with a 3.6, and then move that 2.8 over next to my porch (where cam 8 is currently) to provide better front yard/porch view.

 

[wittaj]

3.6mm at 90 feet will not get you plates.

You need at least the 5442-Z4E but for the same price you can get the 5241-Z12E that has double the zoom.

Most of us feel like the 32mm Z4E struggles much past 70ish feet.

 

[Timokreon]

Sorry, I'm confusing you. I was just using that Cam 3 to show what I am seeing at the moment (which is with the 2.8 cam). I'm going to move the 5241-zZ12E (which I call cam8) over to where I have Cam 3 currently. Which would be around 90 feet.

Again, sorry for the confusion.

 

[wittaj]

Oh ok that makes sense now LOL!

Carry on lol

 

[Timokreon]

Here is a quick test picture from the Cam 3 position. Temporary on a ladder, 6 feet high. Permanent location would be 10-11 feet high.

The first picture is about a 45 degree angle, 90 feet and looking west. Second picture is about a a 40 degree angle, 90 feet and looking east.

I don't have night pictures yet. Plan on putting the camera up for 24/7 testing this coming Saturday at which time I'll try both directions for 24 hours. I'm really hoping I can get good night pictures looking to the west due to being more traffic that direction.
I realize having 2 cams would be better, but most likely not going to happen at this point in time when I need to change a few other cameras out first.

 

[Timokreon]

Friend stopped by to help with running a new wire and install camera. Here is a picture at the new location.
I'll see what night looks like and make adjustments accordingly.

Thoughts, comments?

 

[wittaj]

You should still get plenty of plates with that less than desirable angle. Hopefully the mailbox does't give some IR bounce at night.

If your friend is still there, put your camera into night mode so it is B/W and have them stop there again to get the night focus.

In many instances the focus between visible and infrared light is different.

Here is a great older post that goes into detail how the focus for daytime and nighttime can be different because of IR. For some they are the same, but for a lot of people, it is different:

Infrared focus shift - explanation

 

[Timokreon]

Thank you about the B/W.
I can adjust the camera angle a bit, and most likely will. Right now it's about 45 degrees. If I move the picture to the right, which would be towards the STOP sign, I can get it down to around 35 degrees, but then have a bit of trouble catching vehicles that are turning left onto the street.
The mailbox is unfortunately going to come into play when pointing that direction.

I'll let this run for 24 hours or so, then try pointing towards the west, but I don't think it will work as well.

 

[Timokreon]

Things are looking pretty good at night so far.

 

[wittaj]

Those look great!

 

[Timokreon]

Is there a setting to help with late afternoon sunlight glare? Faster shutter speed perhaps?
I'll post my settings to browse.

Thanks

 

[samplenhold]

Is there a setting to help with late afternoon sunlight glare? Faster shutter speed perhaps?

Changing sunlight is always a problem. I have resigned that I will not get 100%. All you can do is try little changes. You are already at 1/4000 which is pretty fast. The trouble is if you bump that up again then when it is cloudy or rainy you will probably be too dark?

 

[wittaj]

Is there a setting to help with late afternoon sunlight glare? Faster shutter speed perhaps?
I'll post my settings to browse.

Thanks

Unfortunately, depending on the orientation of the sun, it will be problematic at some points of time. You could try WDR, but then you are using it for most of the day when it may only be needed for 2 hours.

Running a faster shutter works, but what about a cloudy or rainy day, then it is too dark.

 

[Timokreon]

Ok... thanks for both of your replies.
Yeah, it's only for a few hours at a specific angle. Running 1/4000 I'm able to get about 7-12 frames from each capture. One good thing about having a corner and STOP sign right there. Of those 7-12 frames, half of them are washed out due to the sun just in that short time period, but the rest are just fine.

Hence, think I'll just leave it alone and take the win. I'm thrilled with being able to pick up the plates as well as I am. I was really thinking I'd be lucky to get 50%. Right now I'm getting 99%. Though that is just for the plate number itself, state name and county might show up 50% of the time at night.
I've found out Iowa plates and some of the Illinois plates are printed instead of stamped, like the Tennessee thread. Even so, I'm still able to capture the plates at night. Hmmmm

 

[Timokreon]

Curious about the IR on this camera, if the camera is pointing too low or high. I'm missing a few plates that are in the far lane coming towards me and am wondering if the camera is pointed (height wise) too low, would the IR miss the plate?
Also I have a street light about 80 feet from where the plates are captured, with the light a bit brighter on the near lane.

Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled with what I can see, but it's that last little bit that has me wondering. lol

 

[Flintstone61]

I guess each scenario has it's unique circumstances. All you can do it try a micro-adjustment up, and see how that affects the rest of the plate captures.

 

[samplenhold]

Also I have a street light about 80 feet from where the plates are captured, with the light a bit brighter on the near lane.

Visible light will help you out for this. I did not think it mattered until I saw @Wildcat_1 testing of some cams that showed how much visible light helped the IR B&W views.

I can see the difference on rear plates that have lights on them vs. the ones that do not have working lights on the plate. Also the front plates not illuminating as well as the rear ones since the front does not have a light.

 

[Timokreon]

Would anyone happen to know if the Dahua NVR5216-16P-I/L plate detection work with this camera?
I know I could purchase a ANPR camera that would work, but it seems as though the NVR I/L model would save plate information with any camera, or am I reading all the specs wrong?

Thanks much

 

[Timokreon]

My latest capture... think it's pretty good myself.